2009 and 2010 is estimated at 40% upwards.
This was stressed by shipping circles in protothema.gr and said that is a one-way street «Increases happen everywhere, in tolls, in OLP up to 100%, in public transport etc. The shipping business had to follow since it is financially drowning».
Attica group made the start and announced an increase of 8% average to the fares of economy and vip class for trips from April 1st 2011 for its domestic routes.
The company pledged «for a direct and equal decrease of fares if the government decides to reduce VAT or reduce \ remove other levies to third parties». Other shipping groups are expected to follow.
The dead-end to which the Greek Shipping has found itself entrapped in an anachronistic legal framework that has led the sector in a vicious circle, was recently stressed by the president of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping Giorgos Gratsos: «Fresh ideas and cuts are needed. It is not thinkable for example for ships to travel many months with more crew than passengers. This way creates damages that get covered with increased fares. And this is a safe recipe for financial shrinking. Many, light loaded ships pollute the atmosphere. In similar cases, airlines shorten their flights with other companies or use smaller aircraft. We cannot reach the solution by using the logic that created the problem. Due to the difficult accessibility, many of our islands are treated as «barren lines» because we couldn’t develop them as tourist destinations due to a shipping that offers expensive services and therefore cannot serve their development».
source: proto thema
